Kickstarter and other
“crowdfunding” platforms have become extremely popular, taking the fundraising
and social media scene by storm. This site is already even part of Time Magazine's Best Websites of 2011. That's because every week, thousands of people upload
their creative projects to the website and pledge money with the hope of
getting their dream project funded. The catch is that on Kickstarter, a project
must reach its funding goal before its deadline or the money is not given to the
user.
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The
imminent benefit of using this platform is, of course, getting the necessary
funds to kick-start projects. Yet, Kickstarter is about more than just
money; I
find this website to have a superb underlying public relations power. Kickstarter
allows the user to share their stories, their hopes and dreams. Since most people
love compelling stories that exhibit genuineness and passion, and feel good
supporting a captivating cause, if it’s a good idea, communicated in an
attractive fashion, it’ll spread exponentially. Therefore, the buzz-generating
power of this platform is surreal.
Even
if the project doesn’t get funded, the storytelling aspect of Kickstarter
provides space for people to discover creative ideas, identify with the
storyteller, and for the user to get free exposure. Ultimately, this is what
publicists want.
